Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Resident Educator Summative Assessment (RESA)?

The RESA is a performance assessment that requires Resident Educators to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, as revealed in their day-to-day teaching. Performance assessments provide direct evidence, supported by written commentary, of what teachers do in the classroom.

The RESA consists of one task, the Lesson Reflection. Resident Educators are asked to provide evidence of how they implement the Teaching and Learning Cycle to support important learning outcomes for all students. As participants in the assessment, Resident Educators will be prompted to reflect upon and synthesize what they have learned throughout the Resident Educator Program.

What are the requirements for years 3 and 4 of the Resident Educators Program?

How much does the RESA cost?

There is no cost to the RESA candidate. The Ohio Department of Education is supporting the following costs of implementing the RESA: use of software platform, site licenses, assessors, facilitation training, and other related resources.

When and how can I prepare for the RESA?

Resident Educators begin preparing for the RESA on the first day of their teaching experience. This preparation continues throughout years 1 and 2 of the Resident Educator Program. Educators may begin collecting instructional evidence for the RESA Lesson Reflection as soon as they begin their experience in the Resident Educator Program.

The RESA Guidebook will guide candidates through the RESA submission process by providing detailed directions on how to complete the Lesson Reflection and outlining the domains that will be used to score it.

Questions about registering for the RESA or technical assistance in submitting forms and evidence should be directed to the RESA Help Desk. The RESA Help Desk is available by email at resa@teachforward.com to provide technical assistance during the submission window and when score reports are release. In addition, the RESA Help Desk is available by phone at 855-538-8634 (toll free) during the last 30 days of the submission.

Dec 12, 2018 – Jan 11, 2019: M – F: 3 pm – 10 pm EST

What are the most important resources for the RESA?

All of the most essential resources can be found on the Resources page at www.ohioresa.com. The most important resources include:

The Ohio RESA Guidebook: This document is your primary guide for completing the RESA Lesson Reflection.

The RESA Lesson Reflection and associated domains can be found here and are reflected in the submission system, which launches on October 15, 2018.

Supporting documentation on topics such as registering for the RESA, using the RESA Submission System Software, requesting RESA Modifications for special teaching circumstances and ADA Amendments Act Accommodations, and a glossary of terms used in the Lesson Reflection are available on the Resources page of the Ohio RESA website.

Video Resources: Recordings of webinars and PowerPoint slides are available on the Resources page of the website.

The Ohio Department of Education’s website: The RESA website provides a clearinghouse of information about the RESA. For information about the Resident Educator Program in general and specifically about eligibility for taking the RESA, please visit the Ohio Department of Education’s webpage on the Resident Educator Program here.

Your RESA Program Coordinators will confirm that you are eligible to take the RESA, will manage your registration in Ohio’s CORE system, provide helpful guidance, and will monitor and report on your submission process.

Will TeachForward or the Ohio Department of Education publish or otherwise use videos submitted for the RESA for any other purposes?

Videos from RESA submissions will be used in assessor training as exemplars that have been edited to illustrate particular levels of candidate performance. Candidate submissions are confidential and will only be viewed by assessors, master coders, TeachForward staff, and contractors and other individuals necessary to score the RESA tasks. Any individual, including all master coders and assessors, who views candidate video submissions must sign a non-disclosure agreement that ensures the privacy of candidates, students, and parents.

Further, TeachForward asks candidates to grant permission to use their entire submission, including videos, for educator training and professional development purposes. Candidates may elect not to grant TeachForward permission to use their submissions for these purposes.

How do I register to take the RESA?

Your program coordinator will first need to register you to take the RESA in the Ohio Department of Education CORE database. CORE Registration for the 2018-2019 RESA will open on August 01, 2018 and close on November 15, 2018. Beginning on October 15, 2018, TeachForward will send account activation links to all candidates registered to take the RESA. Newly registered candidates after that date will be sent activation links on a weekly basis. Urge your program coordinator to register you as early as possible so that you have the most time to work in the submission system prior to the Lesson Reflection deadline.

If I do not receive an email to activate my account with TeachForward, what should I do?

If you do not receive an invitation to register with TeachForward by November 1, 2018, you should first check all email folders to see if your email provider automatically filed TeachForward’s email in your spam or junk mail folder. Next, you should also add the following email domains to your contacts or safe sender list: @teachforward.com, @mailchimp.com.

You should then contact your Program Coordinator to confirm that you have been registered as a RESA candidate with the Ohio Department of Education and that the correct email address was used. If you have confirmed that you have been accurately registered with the Ohio Department of Education and still not received an account activation email from TeachForward, you should contact the RESA Helps Desk by emailing resa@teachforward.com.

What should I do if my teaching assignment makes it impossible to complete the RESA as described?

Please review and complete the Task Modification Request Form on the Resources Page of the OhioRESA.com website to see if you require a live observation because recording is not permitted in your teaching environment. If you need a live observation, you will need to complete the RESA Modification request form with your program coordinator and submit it for approval to REProgram@education.ohio.gov by October 10, 2018.

How is the RESA modified to accommodate candidates with disabilities?

Because the RESA is an untimed assessment, consisting of one task, that is conducted online over the course of four months, most candidates with disabilities will not need special accommodations. However, if you feel that your medical condition prevents you from accessing materials or completing the RESA online, please review and complete the ADA Accommodations Request Form and submit it to resa@teachforward.com by October 10, 2018.

How do I complete the Lesson Reflection?

In the Lesson Reflection, you are asked to record a single lesson that demonstrates your ability to teach meaningful content to your students. You will analyze your planning decisions for this lesson, illustrate your actual teaching in a video segment that is up to 20 minutes long, and reflect on the success of the entire lesson.

The commentary you provide and video segment you choose will give you an opportunity to:

Explain your learning outcomes for this lesson and why they are important in the context of the subject area this lesson represents.

Explain your formative assessment strategy for this lesson.

Demonstrate your instruction (using the video segment).

Evaluate and reflect on the success of the entire lesson.

The full Lesson Reflection instructions and forms can be found in the RESA Guidebook.

What is the deadline for the Lesson Reflection?

RESA Candidates must submit the Lesson Reflection by 11:59 pm EST on January 11, 2019. No deadline extension requests will be granted.

What technology do I need to complete the RESA?

RESA candidates will need access to a computer with broadband Internet connection and a video recording device that captures digital files (such as a digital camcorder or mobile device with a high-quality video camera and microphone). Candidates may also need access to a printer or scanner.

For more information on technology requirements, see the Ohio RESA System Requirements and the Lesson Reflection Technical Reference Guide in the RESA Guidebook.

How do I videotape my online class and are there specific technology requirements for RESA candidates who teach online classes?

Candidates who teach online should capture their online teaching event as a screen recording with audio of the virtual classroom. Students’ names in the chat box or elsewhere on the screen should be replaced with non-identifiers, such as Participant 1 or Student A. Please make sure that the chat boxes are legible, so that the assessor will be able to get a sense of student engagement.

RESA candidates who teach online classes must capture video, audio, and other evidence submitted in support of the RESA tasks on a high-resolution monitor with the resolution set as high as possible. Using a low-resolution monitor/settings may result in illegible evidence that will be disqualified. Even if you have a high-resolution monitor, low-resolution settings can make your evidence unreadable.

TeachForward recommends that RESA candidates who teach online classes do a trial run to ensure that video and other evidence are legible (i.e., an assessor can read the text and understand the content) prior to capturing evidence intended for submission. TeachForward also recommends that online teachers capture and submit audio or written interaction during the class (i.e., chat box) as evidence of student engagement.

Do I need to keep a record of my submitted Lesson Reflection?

Candidates are not required to keep a copy of their completed tasks. However, while the task is “in progress,” candidates are strongly encouraged to keep a copy of all video, photo, and other evidence in addition to any draft responses to RESA prompts. Candidates retaking the RESA will not be able to view or otherwise access their submissions in the submission system from the prior year.

Can I submit evidence from previous years?

RESA candidates may use lessons and evidence from anytime during their experience in the Resident Educator Program. Candidates retaking the RESA are not permitted to resubmit evidence that they used in prior RESA submissions.

Yes, if a candidate has legal copies of copyrighted material to use in his or her class, then including it in a RESA submission does not violate copyright laws because it is considered “fair use.” The fair use doctrine allows for duplication of these materials for the purposes of non-profit educational use, such as the RESA.

How do I upload evidence to the RESA submission system?

Detailed information on uploading video and PDF evidence can be found in the Lesson Reflection Technical Reference Guide section of the RESA Guidebook. There are also detailed instructions within the submission system, in addition to screencasts on particular upload functions featured on the Resources Page.

How do I know if my evidence is within submission guidelines and will be scored?

Review the Lesson Reflection in the RESA Guidebook thoroughly and make sure that you follow the directions. Particularly review the “Check your Work before you Submit” section of the instructions.

Can I use my students’ names when videotaping a lesson?

Candidates should not refer to students by their full names or use pseudonyms that resemble full names while videotaping a lesson. Instead, candidates should refer to students only by their first names. Candidates should also avoid writing students’ full names where they will be visible in the video.

Can I save my work before submitting the Lesson Reflection?

Yes. Candidates may begin work on the Lesson Reflection forms once they complete the initial registration, receive a username and password, and complete and submit their Candidate Profile. Candidates are able to save any work in progress prior to uploading their final forms of a task.

Will my Lesson Reflection be scored lower because of grammar and/or punctuation errors?

Candidates will not specifically be graded on grammar and punctuation in their RESA submissions; however, assessors may have difficulty understanding submissions with poor grammar and punctuation. Candidates should treat the RESA as they would any professional communication by proofreading and submitting their best work.

What are some tips for navigating Commentary and Reflection Form answers?

Each response should be complete and concise. Each answer (that is, each box) should not exceed 250 words. If you choose, your response may be in a bulleted list, in whole or in part. Be brief and specific. You are encouraged to spell check your answers before you upload your final form for submission.

I want to unlock my Lesson Reflection submission because I think I made a mistake. Is this an option?

Yes. You may recall your submission up until the day of the deadline (January 11, 2019). Simply click on the button on the right side of the "What I Need to Submit" page. Please remember to resubmit your task before the deadline. After January 11, 2019, the Lesson Reflection cannot be unlocked or recalled. Please make sure you check your work thoroughly before you press the submit button for the final time.

How does TeachForward ensure the accuracy and fairness in the scoring of RESA submissions?

RESA assessors receive extensive training on the RESA Lesson Reflection. Their training includes a module on recognizing and minimizing bias, in addition to comprehensive modules on each of the seven evaluation domains in the Lesson Reflection. Once assessors pass the certification test, they are assigned submissions to score.

Assessors are prohibited from scoring submissions of candidates they might know, and they are asked to defer submissions of candidates whom they recognize.

For quality assurance purposes, master scorers check assessor quality by conducting reviews of the assessor’s scoring. Assessors who do not meet a minimum accuracy standard are not permitted to score.

Will training be provided for Program Coordinators/Facilitators?

Program Coordinators can find resources available in support of serving Resident Educators here.

Can I give my Program Coordinator or Facilitator access to my account for technical support?

No. The teaching evidence and analysis submitted as part of this Lesson Reflection must be your work and yours alone. Please contact resa@teachforward.com if you need technical support.

Can I use the 2016-2017 rubrics as a guide when answering the Lesson Reflection form questions?

No. You should be using the Lesson Reflection Criteria and Domains, outlined in the 2018-2019 Guidebook, as your guide when you answer the Lesson Reflection questions and select your video evidence.

I'm an intervention specialist and teach in a one-on-one setting. Is there a minimum number of students needed for the Lesson Reflection video recording?

You must have at least one student in your class to record your lesson for your RESA submission.

Can I submit evidence collected from any year in the Resident Educator Program?

Yes. Resident Educators may use lessons that they recorded anytime during their experience in the Resident Educator Program.

Is there a minimum or maximum time for my video submission?

Resident Educators must select a video segment of up to 20 minutes in length. There is no minimum amount of time for your video submission. If your video is significantly shorter than 20 minutes, please keep in mind that your assessor can only see the segment that you have selected and must depend on the evidence you have provided.

Are individuals teaching career-technical courses under alternative resident educator workforce development licenses exempt from the local Resident Educator Program requirements and the RESA?

Yes. These teachers are exempt from participating in the local Resident Educator Program and the RESA. The district’s Program Coordinator will no longer annually register these teachers in CORE.

Are individuals teaching career-technical courses under an alternative resident educator workforce development license still permitted to attempt the RESA?

Yes. Those individuals who were registered for the RESA for the 2016-2017 school year and were unsuccessful may continue to attempt the RESA in subsequent years, subject to current requirements in Ohio Administrative Code section 3301-24-04. If these individuals choose not to continue the RESA, they will need to complete a performance-based assessment that an institution of higher education will verify.

Now that there are domains, criteria and a performance continuum instead of rubrics, how do I prepare for a successful RESA submission?

As you begin to examine the Lesson Reflection Domains and Criteria in the RESA Guidebook, focus on the Criterion section. What the assessor will be looking for is described in this section for each domain. After you review these, then review the continuum of performance, which provides a spectrum of strong to weak evidence. Focus performance toward the strong evidence of the continuum. After completing your work, you may wish to go back to the domains/criteria and the performance continuum to review the quality of your work before submission.

What is meant by "exceptionalities" on the Teaching and Learning Context Form?

On the Teaching and Learning Context form, the term "Exceptionalities" includes the following categories:

I submitted my Lesson Reflection early in the submission window. Is it possible to receive my score report early?

No. All Resident Educators taking the RESA will receive their score report at the same time regardless of when they submitted their Lesson Reflection in the submission window.

When will I get my RESA score report and how do I access it?

The 2018–2019 RESA Score Reports will be released to the Score Report section of the Resident Educator’s TeachForward account by May 03, 2019. All Resident Educators participating in the RESA will receive an email notification when the score reports are available. Your submission and score report are accessible on your TeachForward account for the remainder of the 2018-19 school year and throughout the summer. Download your report for your records before September 2019.

If you have trouble accessing your report, the TeachForward Help Desk (resa@teachforward.com) provides assistance with the technical aspects of accessing your score report, viewing your submitted materials, and logging into the TeachForward system.

I want help understanding the feedback I was given on my score report. What should I do and whom should I contact?

Resident Educators should review their Lesson Reflection responses and videos alongside their RESA Score Reports. You can view the evidence that you submitted, by navigating to the “What I Need to Submit” section of your TeachForward account. Assessors provided feedback statements for each of the seven domains, so it will be most helpful to have the evidence you submitted for each domain available for your review, when reading your score report. Once you access these materials, we recommend that you arrange a time to meet with your mentor, facilitator, or Program Coordinator to review these materials and discuss areas for growth.

What happens if I do not pass the Lesson Reflection?

You will be eligible to retake the Lesson Reflection if you have not exhausted all possible attempts to take the RESA and you remain eligible for the Resident Educator Program.

If you must retake the Lesson Reflection for any reason, you may not resubmit evidence from a prior year’s RESA.

If you were unsuccessful, you should work with your mentor, facilitator, or Program Coordinator to review materials and discuss areas for growth.

Can I have my Lesson Reflection re-evaluated?

It is Ohio Department of Education policy that the score results and feedback statements provided in your RESA Score Report be considered final. Given the rigor of the RESA scoring process, no requests for re-evaluation will be considered. You will be given another opportunity to retake the Lesson Reflection next year if you have not exhausted all possible attempts to take the RESA and you remain eligible for the Resident Educator Program.

Can I apply for my professional educator license if I pass the RESA?

Upon successful completion of the four-year Resident Educator Program and the RESA, you may be eligible to apply for the five-year professional educator license. Learn more about Ohio teacher licensure on the Ohio Department of Education webpage. If you hold an Alternative Resident Educator license, you may have additional requirements.

Who are the RESA assessors and what is their training process?

RESA assessors are all current or former educators from the state of Ohio with at least ten years of teaching experience. They undergo extensive training for the RESA Lesson Reflection before they take a rigorous certification test. TeachForward recruits and assigns assessors to train and score submissions based on the subjects they have taught and the context of the schools where they have worked.

Why wasn’t the RESA scored on a rubric this year?

Starting with the 2017-2018 RESA, the scoring methodology was redesigned based on feedback from the field. Prior RESA candidates, educators, mentors, Program Coordinators, and administrators called for the score report to contain more targeted feedback for Resident Educators to assist them in their professional development. Thus, the RESA is now scored in a manner, which provides more personalized and comprehensive feedback to teachers. You may view the continuum for each domain in the RESA Guidebook on pages.

How long will my score report be accessible on the Ohio RESA website?

Your submission and score report are accessible on your TeachForward account for the remainder of the school year and throughout the summer. Download and save your report for your records by September.

I’ve contacted the RESA Help Desk for technical assistance, and reviewed my score report with my Program Coordinator. Whom do I contact with additional Resident Educator and RESA questions?